Beretta to build in Gallatin

The world’s oldest firearms manufacturer and major U.S. defense contractor, Beretta, announced on Wednesday it will expand into Gallatin.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty and Beretta USA officials announced that the company will expand its U.S. operations by building a new firearms manufacturing plant in the Gallatin Industrial Park.

Beretta, a global manufacturer of high-quality sporting and military firearms, will invest $45 million in a state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D facility and create 300 new Tennessee jobs.

“I want to thank the Beretta family for their substantial investment in Tennessee and the 300 jobs they’ll create in Sumner County,” Haslam said. “Beretta is one of the world’s great companies, and its commitment to excellence and Tennessee’s rich history in manufacturing make today’s announcement a great match as we continue toward our goal of becoming the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high-quality jobs.”

Beretta is the world’s oldest manufacturing dynasty, operating since 1526 in Italy. The company is privately owned and operated by members of the 15th and 16th generations of the Beretta family. Beretta supplies quality sporting and self-defense firearms to consumers worldwide. The company manufactures the U.S. Armed Forces M-9 pistol, the standard sidearm of U.S. soldiers since 1985.

“From the moment when we started to consider a location outside of the State of Maryland for our manufacturing expansion, Governor Haslam and his economic development team did an excellent job demonstrating the benefits of doing business in Tennessee,” said Franco Gussalli Beretta, executive vice-president and a director of Beretta U.S.A. Corp. “We are convinced we could find no better place than Tennessee to establish our new manufacturing enterprise. We look forward to building operations here and being part of your community for many years to come.”

The company is expected to complete construction on the facility this year and will make firearms at the new Gallatin plant for both their sporting and tactical product lines.

“Today’s significant announcement by Beretta USA is a historic moment for the state of Tennessee, the Haslam administration and our department,” Hagerty said. “Beretta is one of the strongest brands in the world. Tennessee’s global reputation for manufacturing in an artisan tradition means we are able to attract companies like Beretta, with a proven commitment to excellence. Tennessee continues to earn global accolades for our business climate, and we boast the best balance sheet in the nation. I appreciate Beretta’s decision to locate in Tennessee, and we look forward to a partnership that will last centuries.”

“When Beretta chooses a location for its business, we start with the possibility that we will be in that location for decades, if not hundreds of years, to come. We move forward with confidence knowing that Tennessee is a great place to do business. We look forward to our opportunities here and we look forward to working side-by-side with our new Tennessee neighbors,” said Jeff Reh, a member of Beretta USA Corp.’s Board of Directors.